How To Boil An Egg So It’s Perfect Every Time
The Easy Guide to Boiling the Perfect Egg
From soft boiled to hard boiled and everything in between, here's everything you need to boil that perfect egg.
How long should I boil my eggs?
4 minutes - A perfect dipping toast soldiers egg. Warm and gooey, with all the benefits of a poached egg, only without the fiddly poaching.
6 minutes - Still good for toast dipping, although the yoke is a little more solid. A spoon is required for scraping most of it out.
8 minutes - Soft but with a fluffy solid egg yolk, perfect with salt, pepper and a spoon.
10 minutes - Egg yolk is getting harder, but still with some soft give when sliced in half.
12 minutes - Crossing the border into hard boiled territory. Just solid enough not to be named as a runny egg.
14 minutes - Solid, able to be sliced or chopped - crumbly yolk texture perfect for curried egg sandwich filling.
16 minutes - Hard boiled, robust enough for snacking, salads and lunch boxes.
It's important to note a few variants:
- Cold eggs straight from the fridge will take longer than room temperature eggs that sit on a counter top.
- How long it takes for your water to boil will depend on the water temperature and your stove top.
- Older eggs are easier to peel than newer eggs.
Watch this handy Tasty clip below for all the egg boiling how-to action or scroll to the recipe below!
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Place eggs in a small saucepan. Cover with water.
2. Over medium high heat, bring the water to a rolling boil.
3. Remove from the heat, place a lid on the saucepan and continue to cook the eggs for 3 to 16 minutes depending on if you want them soft (3 to 4 minutes, perfect for dipping toast soldiers) or hard boiled (salads).
4. Once the cooking time is up, serve straight away, or if eating them cold plunge the eggs into an ice bath. This both cools them quickly and makes them easier to peel. Refresh the water a few times to keep it cool.
5. Peel eggs and serve. Hard boiled eggs can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
